Bruce vs LawsonTwo Canberra suburbs compared for a home loan
Bruce (ACT 2617) is approximately 9 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, at the University of Canberra. Lawson (ACT 2617) is approximately 9 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, beside Bruce. At the 2021 Census, Bruce had 7,520 residents with a median age of 29, and Lawson had 2,739 residents with a median age of 28.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was townhouses and terraces. Flats and apartments made up 33% of occupied dwellings in Bruce and 17% in Lawson, while 50% of Bruce households rented compared with 46% in Lawson. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
ACT 2617 · Belconnen
Bruce
Bruce contains the University of Canberra, the AIS and Canberra Stadium, and only 20.7 per cent of its homes are houses, with 50.3 per cent renting.
Australian Capital Territory. Approximately 9 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, at the University of Canberra.
Read the full Bruce guideACT 2617 · Belconnen
Lawson
Lawson is the newest suburb in these Canberra guides, 62.9 per cent townhouses, where only 8.0 per cent of households own outright.
Australian Capital Territory. Approximately 9 km north-west of the Canberra city centre, beside Bruce.
Read the full Lawson guide
What buying in Bruce and Lawson would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Bruce and Lawson.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
Enter a price for Bruce to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Lawson to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Bruce and Lawson: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Bruce | Lawson |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 7,520 | 2,739 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 29 | 28 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $2,266 | $2,492 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $430 | $548 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,733 | $2,000 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 50% | 46% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 28% | 45% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 20% | 8% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 21% | 20% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 46% | 63% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 33% | 17% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 43% | 34% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 23% | 20% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 7% | 5% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Bruce and Lawson
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Bruce
- Investors
- First home buyers
- Downsizers
- Purpose-built student accommodation is specialised security many lenders refuse.
- Some Crown leases here carry purposes other than ordinary residential use.
- One-bedroom dwellings and studios can fall below lenders' minimum internal floor areas.
- Renting at 50.3 per cent means most purchases are assessed as investment lending.
- Detached houses from the suburb's development period warrant an asbestos register check.
Lawson
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Downsizers
- With no long sales history, a valuer has limited evidence and may look to Bruce.
- Single-development exposure limits bind readily where 623 townhouses sit in 990 dwellings.
- Special levies for defect rectification can arise in newer complexes.
- Only 8.0 per cent own outright, the lowest share in these guides.
- The suburb postdates the loose-fill asbestos installation period entirely.
Housing stock in Bruce and Lawson compared
Bruce
- Townhouses
- At 1,226 dwellings, or 45.8 per cent of occupied homes, the largest single category at the 2021 Census.
- Apartments
- The 895 flats counted at the 2021 Census, 33.4 per cent of occupied homes.
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 554 at the 2021 Census, only 20.7 per cent of occupied homes.
Lawson
- Recently built townhouses
- At 623 dwellings, or 62.9 per cent of occupied homes at the 2021 Census.
- Apartments
- The 170 flats counted at the 2021 Census, 17.2 per cent of occupied homes.
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 194 at the 2021 Census, only 19.6 per cent of occupied homes.
Official sale price and rent figures for Bruce and Lawson
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Bruce
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Bruce, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Lawson
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Lawson, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Transport, schools and amenities in Bruce and Lawson
Bruce
Transport
- Transport Canberra buses (bus)
- Belconnen Way (road)
- Ginninderra Drive (road)
Amenities
- University of Canberra
- Australian Institute of Sport
- Belconnen Town Centre
Lawson
Transport
- Transport Canberra buses (bus)
- Ginninderra Drive (road)
- Belconnen Way (road)
Amenities
- Belconnen Town Centre
- University of Canberra
- Lake Ginninderra
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the ACT education department.
Compare Bruce or Lawson with another suburb
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Request a free assessment: Bruce or Lawson
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Bruce and Lawson, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.